MetroStars Trail D.C. United 0-2 after First Leg of Eastern Conference Semifinal

Metros to Battle United in Second Leg Next Saturday at 7:00 p.m. ET at RFK Stadium

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (Saturday, October 23, 2004) – Earnie Stewart and Alecko Eskandarian hit for spectacular second half goals to lift D.C. United to a key 2-0 away victory against the MetroStars in the first leg of their Eastern Conference Semifinal series Saturday night at Giants Stadium.

The goals and the victory were the first for United in the playoffs since taking MLS Cup '99, and they head home to RFK Stadium for next Saturday's second leg in a commanding position. It was the second year in a row the MetroStars dropped a 2-0 decision at Giants Stadium in the first leg of their opening round series, which they did a year ago before losing 3-1 on aggregate to the New England Revolution.

United goalkeeper Nick Rimando, playing on the same ground where he injured his knee in 2003, played a fine first half and made a number of quality stops -- most on free kicks from MetroStars midfielder Amado Guevara -- to preserve a scoreless match at the break, setting the stage for Stewart and Eskandarian.

The MetroStars controlled most of the possession during a first half that was not void of playoff intensity but took its time developing in the way of scoring chances.

Rimando first left his mark on the game in the 12th minute when he dove quickly to his left to get a hand on Jeff Parke's header following a free kick by Pablo Brenes. In the 34th minute he left his line to put a hand on Amado Guevara's corner kick and had to scramble to regain position in time to stop John Wolyniec as he tried to send the rebound back in.

United created only one quality chance in the opening half and Rimando's counterpart, Jonny Walker, was up to the task. Eskandarian ran onto a ball in space deep on the right flank and sent a cross back into the heart of the penalty area where Dema Kovalenko waited. Walker put himself in perfect position to make the save on Kovalenko in the 27th minute.

The second half brought a reversal of form as United carried much of the play, attacking the goal in front of a small but boisterous group of supporters who made the journey up I-95 for the match.

In the 53rd minute it looked as if United had squandered the best chance of the evening. Christian Gomez delivered a picturesque through-ball to Kovalenko, but Walker reacted in time to move out and challenge the play enough so that Kovalenko's subtle flick rolled wide of the target after it rounded the on-rushing Walker.

Walker came up big again in the 56th minute, diving right to deflect away a header from Ryan Nelsen, connecting at the end of an Eskandarian corner.

But the Metros luck ran out in the 67th minute when Gomez's pass from his own half up the right flank left Stewart alone and on the ball. As Stewart closed in on Walker from a tight angle, only MetroStars jerseys appeared in his line of sight. So Stewart took matters into his own hands, lifting a perfectly placed shot over Walker's right shoulder and onto the roof at the far post to put United ahead.

It was United's first playoff goal since Ben Olsen's goal against the Galaxy in first half stoppage time of MLS Cup '99.

Rimando got back in the act to keep his clean sheet with a tremendous 74th minute save of a Guevara free kick destined to curl inside the right post.

United undoubtedly would have been content to head home with a goal advantage, but their day was officially made when Eskandarian doubled the lead in the 88th minute.
MetroStars Draw With Columbus, 1-1

Source: MetroStars.com

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